Gunman kills 12 in Montenegro before taking own life

By Lejla Biogradlija

ANKARA (AA) — A 45-year-old man shot dead 12 people at multiple locations across Cetinje town in southern Montenegro before killing himself on Wednesday, officials said.

Police Chief Lazer Scepanovic said the shooter, identified as Aco Martinovic, targeted friends and relatives in the Bajice area of Cetinje before taking his own life when cornered by police. The motive is not yet known.

The suspect shot himself in the head and died on the way to the hospital, Scepanovic told reporters, adding that four wounded victims are in stable condition.

Prosecutor Andrijana Nastic said Martinovic carried out attacks at five different locations. Martinovic killed four people at a bar in the first attack, four more at the second location, two siblings aged 10 and 13 at the third site, and one person each at the fourth and fifth locations, Nastic explained.

Local media reported that the gunman had previously been detained for illegal weapons possession.

The government declared three days of national mourning following the incident, which President Jakov Milatovic called "a tragedy."

Leaders from neighboring Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia also sent condolence messages.